Black Sallah in Edo as 19 persons die in auto accident

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By Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN — IT was a sad Sallah cele-bration yesterday in Edo state as no fewer than 19 persons, including children lost their lives in an automobile accident along Isi –Ugoneki road, off Benin- Agbor express way, in Uhunmwode local government area of the state.

Vanguard gathered that the accident occurred on Thursday night when a commercial bus with registration number ABD 206XA which was heading towards Auchi, had a head-on collision with a trailer laden with livestock, on its way to Benin, the Edo state capital.

The commercial bus was reportedly trying to overtake another vehicle when it rammed into the trailer with registration number DRX374XA.

Sixteen of the passengers were said to have died on the spot while three others died in the early hours of Friday at the Aigbogun Clinic in Abudu in Orhionmwon local government area of the state.

It was learnt that some of the deceased comprised of a family and were travelling to Edo North for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Spokesman of the Edo Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr. George Otoaviokhai, who confirmed the incident attributed the accident to dangerous overtaking which he said was avoidable.

Otoaviokhai explained that the commercial bus had attempted to overtake another vehicle in front of it when it rammed into the truck on the other lane.

According to him, “There was a vehicle in front of the bus which it was trying to overtake. The accident was avoidable”, he further said.